Rewrite the Stars
by Mrs Pettyfer
Summary: So why don't we rewrite the stars? Maybe the world could be ours - A collection of drabbles and one-shots centered around Rey and Kylo Ren.
1. Stand With Me

**Category:** Star Wars

 **Author:** Mrs Pettyfer

 **Title:** Rewrite the Stars

 **Pairing(s):** Rey/Kylo Ren (Of course there will be other pairings as well. This is just the focus.)

 **Genre:** Fantasy/Romance/Adventure

 **Rating:** M

 **A/N:** If you follow me on Tumblr, you know I'm a big Reylo shipper. So here I am! This will simply be a collection of one-shots and drabbles, much like my Rubik's Cube collection for ATLA/LoK. Some will be more than one "chapter" and others will just be one. I'm not sure how regularly I'll update this; just when the ideas come to me. I hope you enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** The world of Star Wars belongs to Disney/Lucas Films and this is just for fun.

Also, this first chapter/one shot was inspired by an amazing comic by ninjapancake314 on Tumblr and a lovely post by reybens, also on Tumblr. They so graciously allowed me to write the companion piece below.

* * *

 **01 - Stand With Me**

Rey thought she was prepared to face him.

For a year or so they had not come face to face, their interactions reduced to the bond neither could break. The first time the bond flared up there was only silence, neither willing to break it. The second time, enough time had passed that his new title was well known across the galaxy: Supreme Leader Ren.

She didn't care what he called himself: Kylo Ren. Ben Solo. Supreme Leader Ren. She knew what she saw when they touched hands and no matter how much she wanted to forget it, she couldn't.

Sometimes they argued. Sometimes they didn't speak at all. Neither put out the offers they both knew they wanted to give, their stubbornness too strong and pride too wounded. Their bond strengthened, despite weeks passing between unexpected connections. And with that strength and some effort, Rey and Ben could now communicate telepathically. For some reason, this was easier to control than their apparitions.

The first time it happened, Rey shot out of bed and grabbed her blaster on instinct. But as she blinked away sleepiness and came to her senses, she lowered the gun, expecting to see him. Only there was no one there.

And yet his voice rang out again. In her head.

 _Rey?_

It was the only thing she had kept from the Resistance. This connection. It was too intimate, too personal, and maybe Rey knew Poe would want to use it to their advantage. She knew she should _want_ to use it. And yet…

She reasoned with herself that if their connections revealed anything that would be helpful to the Resistance, she would speak up. And maybe…maybe she would have the courage to speak to Leia about it. Someday. When Rey had told the story of what happened on Snoke's ship, she had told Leia how she had felt the conflict within her son, but didn't know anymore if Ben Solo was still there.

" _Someone wise once told me no one is ever truly gone,"_ Leia had said with a sad smile.

Rey wanted to believe it, though she had expected Ben to use their connections to demand information on the Resistance. But he never did. Only once, when he had appeared suddenly as she was training alone in an empty field, he said simply:

" _Why continue to run when you know you can't win?"_

 _To which Rey replied, "Because I'd rather be running and free than trapped in a cage."_

He didn't say anything to that.

Maybe he knew it wouldn't matter, that in the end, the First Order would snuff out their flame. It was no secret the rebels were losing. The First Order's numbers were so impressive that it scared people too much for them to join. While they needed a rebel base, they needed actual _rebels_ even more. So they traveled from city to city, planet to planet, to small villages and dark forests and isolated islands, looking to form new alliances. But their resources were depleting, their allies shrinking, and their numbers still too small.

After a devastating skirmish on a small, dense planet Rey had never heard of, the First Order had showed up and destroyed any chance the Resistance had at making a new alliance. Rey was back in the falcon nursing a wound on her shoulder when Ben appeared. She expected him to gloat in his victory—though she had not personally seen him, despite sensing him off in the distance. She expected him to tell her their opposition was futile.

She should have been used to him surprising her.

" _Did you hesitate?" he asked quietly. "Did you even consider my offer?"_

 _They never spoke of the throne room, of what happened with Snoke and the guards. What happened to the legacy lightsaber he so firmly believed to be his._

 _Rey looked at him, surprised to see he had not cleaned up from the fight. His dark wavy hair was messy and sticking to his sweaty neck, a small gash on his temple dripping blood down his face. He had been in the thick of it, then. A king that preferred the battlefield to his throne._

 _Now, he stood in her chamber, just as he had appeared to be inside her hut on Ahch-To. She wondered if she reached out if she'd be able to feel him, or if her hand would glide straight through._

 _She answered him honestly. "Yes."_

Did you consider mine, Ben? _She did not voice it aloud, but sent it through their bond._

 _His face did not change, but she saw him swallow. He did what he usually did when he didn't want to answer and switched to a new question. "Do the rebels know you could have taken my life and ended it?"_

" _Does the First Order know you were the one to kill Snoke?"_

 _She had heard the stories—wild, exaggerated stories, most of them pinned on her being the one to kill him._

 _They stared at each other in silence. He was too tall and big for this confined space, taking up more room than physically possible due to the intensity and power he radiated. If he stepped any closer he would tower above her._

 _Finally Ben glanced away, his mouth working. He turned his back on her, as if he would reach for the door and walk out of the room. But then he just glanced partially over his shoulder, not looking at her. His voice was quiet, even a little curious. "Why didn't you do it?"_

 _It was a fair question, a question she had asked herself a thousand times. A question that had a thousand answers._

" _Because of what_ I _saw…when the moment comes, you'll stand with me," she whispered, settling on one._

It was several months later that General Organa passed away. Not all heroes die grandly, poetically. Sometimes they just die.

For several weeks the General had been struggling with memory and concentration, and complaining of headaches; a result likely from her near death experience at the hand of the First Order months ago. But Leia refused any more follow up treatment, insisting it was nothing and that she was fine. But one night she simply went to sleep and never woke up. When they found her the next morning, she had been smiling. At peace.

They didn't know where to lay her to rest, and eventually settled on Ahch-To. It was a sacred place, where she could be with Luke. The caretakers had welcomed them and showed them where they buried Luke, where a once sacred tree stood. Poe dug the grave by himself, not allowing anyone to help. Lt. Kaydel Ko Connix watched him in silent grief. When he finished, she put an arm around him and held him close.

Poe spoke fondly of Leia, sharing stories that made Rey laugh, some that made her cry. She looked around at the handful of rebels, at the caretakers as they prepared a feast for their guests, at the rocky huts and lapping waves of the island.

General Leia Organa deserved more than this, but it was all they could give.

They agreed to spend a night or two on Ahch-To.

After the feast, which consisted mostly of green milk and roasted fish, Rey had found a hut and slept for hours. Then she cried for a long, long time. Finn had come to check on her in the morning and she wiped her eyes, insisting she would be okay.

Then she found the strength to reach out to Ben. He deserved to hear it from someone that cared, not by some military personnel.

 _She's gone, Ben. I'm so sorry._

He knew. Without her saying any more, he knew who she meant. A single, strained word echoed down the bond. _How?_

She told him. She felt his grief, his rising anger. His emotions were so strong that she felt them in her bones, through the bond, as if they were _her_ feelings. She had to reach out to grip the stone wall to steady herself.

And then she felt nothing. Emptiness.

Ben had somehow managed to slam a door on their bond. It was still there, Rey knew that, but somehow…it was as if their minds were linked by a bridge, and Rey's mind was at one end, Ben's at the other, each with an open door that allowed thoughts to pass between them. A door he had managed to shut.

She had pounded at his door, at his mind, but it remained closed.

His grief turned to anger, and that anger led to a dark recklessness, to destroying cities that did not bow to the First Order and causing havoc that Rey knew was not the new order he had proposed in the throne room so very long ago.

It had to end. It was something Rey had said to Poe that gave him the idea that led to this moment. As she struggled to learn more about the Force, as the Jedi texts proved to be either impossible to decipher or impossible to understand, she complained, "What good is a single lightsaber against an army?"

Now, they stood on a remote icy planet along the cliffs, the sun setting in the background and casting the snow in pearly white. Rey looked across the precipice and saw a small army of Stormtroopers and an AT-AT walker. But her focus was all on him.

She hadn't shared a thought or connection with him in two months, since Leia's passing.

His dark eyes met hers, his face colder than she remembered. He was dressed in his typical black, his cape fluttering against the chilly wind. His lightsaber was ignited, the red flaring up against the stark white of the snow around them. It reminded her of their fight in the forest, on Starkiller Base. Only this time, she was not afraid.

 _Ben_.

The first time she said his name, she spoke into the bridge of their minds, testing his strength. She was met with something cold and solid. She wondered if she could break it down if she truly tried.

"Ben," she said aloud. She swallowed hard, knowing what she was about to do. Knowing the risk and choosing it anyway. She lowered her newly made staff saber. "If you're still in there…I don't want to do this."

"Rey," she heard Poe warn behind her.

The Resistance didn't need to defeat the First Order. They _couldn't_ defeat the First Order. They _could_ possibly defeat their leader and General, to get them isolated and away from their numbers. Without a proper leader, they would crumble within as men and women fought over rank.

Rey started moving toward the thin bridge of ice. This wasn't part of the plan. But she couldn't go through with it. Didn't _want_ to. "You can stop this."

"No!" Poe shouted just as Finn yelled, "Rey, come back!"

She ignored them both and switched off her saber. She continued forward, stepping onto the narrow icy path. Rose cursed in the background. BB-8 swiveled and beeped nervously behind her as she took another step. And another. Chewie let out a roar of protest.

"We can _both_ stop this," said Rey. Ben's face was still of stone, but he made no move to attack her. She stopped in the middle of the bridge. "No one else has to die. Too many have died already. This…this path isn't what you wanted, Ben."

For a long moment, Rey feared he would say nothing. But then he moved forward, closer to her. His voice was empty and deep. "Is this the surrender of the Resistance?"

"No," she breathed. "Just my own."

He stared at her. "I swore that I would destroy you."

Her eyes flashed to his flickering saber and she imagined it then, how this would play out. The moment he struck her, Chewie and Poe would fire at him. He would block them, but be too distracted by their pursuit to notice their best shot in the Resistance, Kaydel Ko, hidden above and aiming right at him. Finn would rush forward without thinking, and Rose would try to stop him. General Hux on the AT-AT walker would fire everything it had. Maybe one of them would manage to survive, if they were lucky.

But not Rey and Ben. They would die here, surrounded by allies and enemies and friends, falling deep into the ravine below.

Maybe that's how it should be. Maybe Luke was right. Maybe it was time for the Jedi to end. Maybe this would at least bring balance.

Rey closed her eyes, preparing for the end.

Ben's lightsaber switched off. "But…I know now that I can't."

Rey's eyes flew open in shock, surprised to find Ben _on one knee_ in front of her. His head was bowed in resignation, but his hand did not shake as he held out his lightsaber. To _her_.

"You know what you have to do," he said thickly.

She remembered knocking Kylo Ren to the forest floor, standing over him as he was powerless. She remembered an unconscious Ben Solo on the ground, his lightsaber next to him. Remembered how destiny had given her opportunities to take his life. How it presented itself again now.

Rey reached out—and instead of grabbing the lightsaber, she touched Ben's shoulder and helped him stand. She opened her mouth to speak, but he grabbed her other hand and placed the saber in it.

"Don't be afraid," he said quietly. "Just finish it."

And with his resolve, the door of his mind opened. The emotions flooded Rey's thoughts. He was ready to die. He believed it was the only way this could end, the only way to be rid of the conflict within him. She could _feel_ that resolve in him.

And it broke her heart.

 _The belonging you seek is not behind you, it is ahead._

Tears welled in her eyes as she reached up and placed a hand against his cheek, her fingers brushing his scar. His eyes closed and he leaned into her touch. "Finish it?" she said softly. "All right."

Rey rose up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. She felt his sharp intake of breath against her mouth just as she heard the shocked reactions behind her. She pulled back before Ben could react, before _she_ could react, looking up into his stunned face.

"You once said to let the past die." It took all her effort to keep her voice from shaking. "And you were right, in a way. Our past…we shouldn't kill it, but we should learn from it. Weshould _accept_ it. What matters now…" she held his gaze as she spoke softly, "is the future."

Ben's eyes searched her face, his mouth parting. Before he could speak there was a series of sharp blasts. Rey barely had time to do more than gasp as a flash of red surged for them—

Only to halt as Ben raised a hand, never taking his eyes off her, stopping the blasts in midair. " _Our_ future?" he asked, his deep voice filled with awe.

"Yes." Her mouth twisted into a small smile.

They stood in the middle of the Resistance and the First Order, in the middle of the dark and light. It was time for the old Jedi to end, and a new order to begin. Rey saw the moment Ben understood, that he realized the vision they had both seen and both misinterpreted, had been one in the same.

He turned and redirected the blast back at the AT-AT. The Stormtroopers leapt out of the way as the AT-AT came crashing down. Chewie and Rose let out exuberant roars.

Rey stepped to his side and ignited her saber. "We're in this together, then?"

Ben glanced at her, his lips twitching almost into a smile.

"Always."

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for reading!


	2. The Rebel and the Knight Part 1

**A/N** : So this is a multi-part one shot. A short story, so to say. Not sure how many chapters it will have, but I couldn't get the idea out of my head. It's a modern/college AU. :) Enjoy!

* * *

 **02 - The Rebel and the Knight Part 1**

"Stop worrying," Rey scolded her friend as they walked through the crowded cafeteria. "You're going to do fine."

"I'm not worrying," said Finn, his voice up an octave that made her give him a look. "Okay, maybe I'm a little nervous. It's opening game tomorrow _and_ it's against Empire."

Empire University was close to Republic, less than thirty miles, which resulted in an odd mixture of rivalries and allies between students. It was all everyone had been talking about for weeks.

"No offense, but if you do even get in, it will only be on special teams."

He looked _entirely_ offended as they stepped outside onto the unusually chilly, fall grounds to go their separate ways. "Hey! Coach said I could see some RB minutes."

She laughed and didn't point out that as a freshman the only chance he had for minutes was if there was a blow out, which was unlikely. As good as Dameron was as their star quarterback, Empire had an even more talented senior that was likely going into the NFL draft. She heard _that_ name about as much as Dameron's.

"Well, good luck. I'll be the one scarfing down nachos with a face painted in blue and white."

Finn grinned and halted, gripping his book bag by the straps. He wore sweatpants and a tight-fitted Nike Rebel t-shirt. He was stocky and muscular, even for a freshman. Despite having different majors, they met in speech class, a requirement for many students. It was an embarrassing story she hated telling, one that Finn thought hilarious now that his lip had healed.

"Rose coming with you?" he asked.

Rose Tico, her roommate that spent most of her time with her nose in a book and earbuds in her ears. She worked in maintenance part-time at the library, had unyielding concentration that often led to Rey literally having to throw something at her to get her attention, and usually fell asleep studying at her desk. She hated football, but for some reason had expressed an interest in the game. Rey thought she had a pretty good idea exactly what _that_ interest was.

"Possibly," said Rey. She pulled out her beat up cell phone that was several models old to send her friend a text. "I've gotta go or I'm going to be late."

"Working at Plutt's?"

Rey huffed and nodded. She worked a handful of temp jobs, with one being the most consistent. She didn't exactly working at her previous foster parent's garage, but it was grimier more than it was difficult, and sometimes Plutt gave her an extra twenty or something if he was feeling generous after a successful scam. It wasn't often.

Finn started to walk backwards toward his next class. "Text me after, all right?"

"Sure."

* * *

Rey didn't actually paint her face, but she _did_ buy nachos. Loaded with cheese, jalapenos, sour cream—all of it. Rose did decide to come, and the two of them stood in the back of one of the student sections with the rest of the freshman.

"Get off your phone," said Rey, elbowing her friend as she sucked cheese from her fingers.

"Why? Nothing's happening."

With ten minutes before kickoff, the players were warming up on the field. It was an evening game, the lights bright and glaring against the green turf. Rey had chosen a thin Rebel sweatshirt over holey skinny jeans and the old converse sneakers Finn constantly reminded her to throw out. He didn't know these sneakers had been with her since the 8th grade, through a handful of families as she bounced around foster homes.

Rey searched for the cornflower blue #21 and found Finn running through some warm up drills with a handful of other players. Poe Dameron was throwing the football to the backup quarterback, a hard snap to his throws. Republic's campus was huge, and Rey was only a freshman, so she had only actually _seen_ Poe on social media. She followed him on Instagram like the rest of the student body and didn't want to admit it, but he was as dreamy and attractive as his reputation preceded him. She'd never have the nerve to _actually_ talk to him, but it was nice to follow his life. She followed tons of people she didn't know, but felt like she did. It gave her a sense of…belonging, of sorts. As if she was somehow part of their lives just by watching it pass by.

Loud cheers erupted suddenly and Rey was elbowed in the side by the screaming man to her left who looked too old to be standing in this section. Beer spilled onto her arm as he swayed. She scowled at him and shouted over the noise, "Watch it!"

He just ignored her. Rey thought about throwing her soda in his face but decided better off. She didn't splurge on soda often. Not when ice water was free.

Rose finally hefted a heavy sigh and stuck her phone in her back pocket. She didn't bother wearing school spirit and chose a worn-in brown jacket that looked like something a pilot might wear. Her black hair was tied back in a ponytail, pieces falling out and her thick bangs slightly disheveled. "All right, let's see what the fuss is about."

Rey had just finished her nachos when the captains took the field for the coin toss. Dameron of course was out there in his shining #8. She finally looked at Empire as they stopped centerfield, her eyes immediately drawn to the captain in the middle. He was tall, broad shouldered—muscular but not too bulky. He held himself as though he owned the field, towering over Dameron as they stood close, opposing each other. He sported the #1 white jersey for the Knights and Rey thought you had to be very confident to wear that number.

At the end of the first quarter, she understood why he had chosen it.

Ben Solo was _good_. As good as the stories and rumors she had heard.

Rey wasn't an expert in football per say, but she understood the game enough. Solo was a wide receiver and connected with almost every pass thrown his way, his height and agility to his advantage. He already had one touchdown, making the score 7-0 at the end of the first.

The biggest surprise, however, wasn't on the field at all. Next to her, Rose screamed in excitement and cheered as loudly as any proud Rebel. She'd have _her_ face painted next game, no doubt.

"I'm going to go get a hot dog!" Rey called over the cheers. Mid second quarter, and the Rebels were finally on the board.

"You already had nachos!"

"So?" The word came out more defensively than she intended. Rey didn't want to admit to her friend that she had seen the sign that hot dogs were half price for students today. And this was her dinner.

Rose laughed and pulled out a couple of one's from her jacket. "Bring me some candy."

Rey pushed her way to the end of the row, then up the stairs. The crowd was a blur of blue and white, with large posters and flags waving in the chilly night. There were even some fans sporting the red, black and white of Empire. She found the nearest concession stand, relieved the line wasn't too long, and pulled out her phone to text Rose.

 _What kind of candy?_

A minute went by. She moved forward in line. Two minutes. She texted Rose again.

No response. Rey could hardly believe the irony: Rose was _always_ glued to her phone.

Rey stepped forward without looking up, her eyes still on the screen, when she bumped into the person in front of her. "Oh!" she said, startled. "I'm so—" She halted midsentence as the man in a black and red Knights sweatshirt pulled down his hood and turned to her. "Professor Skywalker?"

"Rey," he greeted pleasantly. Or as pleasantly as her sarcastic and bitter professor was capable of. His graying beard was as patchy as always, his hair a wild mess as though he didn't bother to shower but once or twice a week.

She looked at the knight on his sweatshirt. "I didn't take you as a traitor, Professor."

He snorted. "Yes, well. I'm supporting my nephew tonight, even if he does not appreciate it."

"Your nephew plays for Empire?"

At that moment, the announcer's voice rang out: "Touchdown for the Knights! Calrissian connects with Solo for his second touchdown of the night. The Knights now…"

Her professor muttered something under his breath as he turned and stepped up to the counter. When it was Rey's turn, he took his hot dog and saluted her in farewell. "Don't forget your essay is due Monday. I won't accept another piss-poor excuse for a late paper."

Her excuses were anything but piss-poor, thank you.

"Still don't agree with it," she called after him.

"Still have to write it," he said without looking back.

Rey sighed. She chose Introduction to Psychology as an elective, not realizing how much work it was going to be. She had to write four pages on how failure was the best teacher and had yet to start it.

Today was Saturday, and she had to work tomorrow.

She sighed again and ordered.

* * *

"Did you see…"

Rey just kept shaking her head. Yes, yes, yes…she _did_ see. She had watched the entire game, just like Rose. Apparently Rose was a closet sports lover. Or maybe she just never bothered to give it a try, too busy either working or studying. Rey knew all about that. But now Rose was animated, more passionate than she had ever seen, and her eyes lit up when Rey said Finn's name.

"Poor Finn didn't see the field at all."

"Well, maybe they'll need a catcher next game," said Rose thoughtfully.

 _Wrong sport_ , Rey thought. "So you'll go next time?"

Rose shrugged and pulled her jacket tighter as they walked back to their dorm. The campus was lively and crowded, many fans still complaining about the loss. The Knights had won 42-21. Solo had all the touchdowns apart from two and who knows how many yards. It was an impressive show, Rey reluctantly had to admit.

"I had only watched it on TV, which was _so_ boring. It's totally different in person. My sister never had time to take me, and our parents certainly didn't."

Rose had told Rey that her sister had chosen to join the military after a few years at college, wanting to become a pilot.

Rey had texted Finn on their way back to the dorm, but it wasn't until they were back inside, a good thirty minutes or so later that he responded:

 _Party at Alpha Phi Niima tonight. Want to come?_

Rey nearly laughed out loud. _APN, really? We're_ _freshman, remember?_

 _They're letting in everyone tonight because of the game._

 _But you lost…_

 _Yeah, but game days equal lots of free beer._

Rey sighed. She _really_ should start on her essay. She also didn't…really go to parties. She never had time for them and there were only so many times she could be the new girl before she found isolation to be the best company.

She glanced at the time on the cracked screen of her phone.

11:09 P.M.

 _I can't_ , Rey wrote back. _I have to start a paper and I work tomorrow_.

A few minutes went by when Finn texted back, _You work too much. You deserve a break!_

Finn had no idea how much she had worked—for years. She looked at her fingers curling her phone, at the dirt that never seemed to clear from under her nails, the callouses on her hands. Between being a full time student and Plutt's, her catering gig, serving every other weekend at Lanai's Café, and cleaning old Mr. Yoda's house…she barely had much free time. Plutt hadn't been happy when she left her shift early for the game.

Rose was sitting cross-legged on her bed with her laptop, buds in ears, when Rey shook her shoulder. "Want to go to a party we're probably not invited to?"

* * *

Rey and Rose stood across the street to the giant white house that was Alpha Phi Niima, the lawn crowded with students holding red solo cups and music booming from inside—loud, but not loud enough for the cops to show up.

Rose had been reluctant. A relief for Rey, who had subconsciously been looking for an excuse not to go. But then Finn had called, insisting…and here they were.

There was a large boy standing at the door, like a bouncer. Rey suddenly felt sick with nerves. How embarrassing if he didn't let them inside? Finn had already text her again, that he was inside the house. But he was also on the football team and that came with some privileges, freshman or not.

Lawn chairs were scattered on the grass and a fire pit was roaring, students huddled around it as they laughed and talked. Even from a distance everyone looked so much…older. More so, they looked like they belonged here. Whereas Rey and Rose…

"They're totally going to toss us out, you know that right?" said Rose, squinting through her thick rimmed glasses.

A group of loud girls came up the street. One of them, a pretty blonde wearing Dameron's jersey tied tight, exposing her stomach that was painted with his number, came up to them. "You coming?"

Rey and Rose glanced at each other uneasily. "Well—" Rey started.

"Come on," said the girl, throwing her arms around both Rey and Rose. "Don't be scared, little fresh."

Before they could protest, Rey and Rose were swept across the street and up the crowded lawn, stopping in front of the large boy wearing a tight polo that was far from practical for this chilly night. The boy smirked at the girls. "Ladies." His eye caught on Rey and Rose, both of which probably wore terrified, awed expressions.

Rule number one of being a freshman: don't look like a freshman.

They were both breaking that rule right now.

"They're with me," said the girl happily.

The boy shook his head. "Whatever you say, Kay."

He let them inside and Rey was overwhelmed instantly by the sounds and smells, of the people dancing and mingling. The girl—Kay—grabbed two red plastic cups and handed them to Rey and Rose. "Only drink this cup and nothing else. Don't look so scared, don't leave alone, and try to have some fun," she told them with a bright smile. Then she and her friends were lost in the crowd.

Rey and Rose looked at each other and instantly broke into laughter. They were at a party—their first _real_ college party. And hadn't been thrown out yet! Rey suddenly felt a little giddy, but in awe more than anything. She sent a text to Finn and sniffed her drink.

She made a face. It smelled awful.

"Paige would disapprove," Rose said over the music. Then she shrugged and took a drink. She nearly cringed from the taste. "Argh, that's gross."

They stood in the large foyer, the house separated into sectional rooms of leather couches, study tables, and what looked like a game room. There was an intense battle of what Rey learned was called beer pong going on and loud cheers from what appeared to be the kitchen. Most of the people still in their blue and white, but there were even some Empire students here as well. No one seemed to care.

"I have to pee," said Rose suddenly, in that blunt manner of hers.

"I'll find Finn." Rey had to shout to be heard over the music. Rose nodded and they parted ways.

This time, Rey tried calling, since Finn never texted back. Still no answer. He was probably here somewhere, unable to hear his phone.

Someone stumbled into Rey, nearly knocking her over. She scowled at the girl's blubbered apology and shoved her back. The girl had no sense of balance and fell to the ground, spilling her drink all over the floor, laughing. Rey instantly regretted her impulsiveness, especially as a few onlookers stared at her with a mixture of drunken laughter and confusion.

She darted away, annoyed at herself. Her quick temper had earned her too many detentions in her younger years. Her scowl quickly melted as she caught sight of Poe Dameron in the flesh, surrounded by a large group, laughing at some story he was telling. Rey watched as Dameron's eyes followed a group of girls—in particularly _one_ girl—that walked by, even as he continued his story. Heard him shout, "Didn't know you stayed up this late, sweetheart."

To which Kay yelled over her shoulder, without looking at him, "There's a lot of things you don't know, Flyboy."

"Where's your calculator?"

"Same place as your win tonight. Nowhere to be found."

This earned a loud round of _ohhh's_ from the group. But Dameron just grinned like a cat, somehow looking boyish and handsome all at the same time.

Rey realized she was still standing alone and finally moved from the foyer, deciding to not look like a _complete_ loser. She explored the house, relieved that being alone in here wasn't so bad. Most of the people were too drunk, or just blissfully happy, to notice or care about a lone freshman. One guy had even hugged her for no reason other than he liked her "funny looking bun" on her head.

She moved into another hallway, a little less crowded than the rest of the house. She checked her phone again. Still no Finn, even though she had wandered through the house; though she certainly didn't check the bedrooms upstairs. Rose had somehow been roped into a game of beer pong. She was shockingly competitive, partnered with who Rey thought was the very, very tall captain of the girls volleyball team, Bri Phasma. Rey had watched for a few minutes, laughing, before wanting to break away from the crowd.

She was finding, with complete disappointment, that maybe these types of parties weren't for her. Or maybe she just didn't have very many friends and that impacted her experience. Which was…kind of sad. Even for her.

Rey pressed up against the wall so she wasn't trampled by a group of guys carrying what looked like a keg. She looked down at her still-full drink, the clear liquid looking less and less appealing by the minute. This was part of the college experience, right? She tried to push away the guilt of being underage, of the sense of dread and anxiousness at losing control over herself. Somehow that was the most frightening part.

A group of loud, laughing guys staggered her way—Empire and Republic alike, drunkenly arguing over the game. One of them caught sight of Rey as he passed and reached out for her with a slurred, "Go Rebels!"

Rey managed to dodge him, ducking out of the way. "Yeah, go Rebels," she said with forced enthusiasm, saluting him with her cup.

"Drink up, buttercup." He tapped her cup with a single finger, grinning.

"Yeah, sure. I will. Thanks."

For some reason he found her hilarious, patting her shoulder as he laughed and followed his friends. She watched them go, the music blaring in her ears. She checked her phone for what felt like the thousandth time and—Finn was calling her right now.

Relieved, Rey quickly answered, "Hello? Finn?" It was so loud she heard sounds more than words. "What? I can't hear you. Just text—I'll call you back!"

Annoyed and frustrated, she pushed her way through the crowd, away from the music, to find a quiet part of the house where she could actually think. Staring more at her phone than where she was going, she moved through the hallway, the music dying in the distance. She saw a door and yanked it open, finally able to escape. The room was nothing more than a study room, filled with cheap wooden desks and chairs, a bookcase and tall grandfather clock. There was a single red velvet armchair that looked plush and comfy, facing a fireplace that appeared like it was never used.

Rey sank into the chair that seemed to swallow her up and set her cup on the floor. She pulled her knees to her chest, sinking further into the cushions. She had just started to call Finn when she heard a scuffle—and a panicked, nasally voice saying over and over, "Okay, okay, _okay_."

The door slammed, causing Rey to jump. She turned and peaked over the top of the chair.

She immediately wished she hadn't.

A guy with bright reddish-orange hair was pinned to the wall by a hand at his throat, by someone so much taller and wider he seemed to eclipse the smaller, frightened man.

He gripped the hand at his throat, pushing out words. "A…mistake…I…I assure you."

"A potentially costly one." The taller guy's voice was deep and flat, disinterest concealing something darker. He wore all black, partially shrouded in shadow.

The redhead nodded profusely. He looked like he just stepped off a golf course with his long khaki pants and white polo shirt, a navy cotton sweater draped over his shoulders. His narrow face cowered in fear as he said, "Yes, yes. But…but not unfixable. I just need—"

"What? What could _you_ possibly need?"

"I'll fix it. I…I assure you."

"Yes, you will."

The taller guy released him and the redhead nearly crumpled to the ground. He gasped, clutching his throat. It took him a long moment to regain his dignity as he straightened, lifting his chin. He was about to speak when Rey's phone rang.

She jerked—their heads snapped to her. She shrank into the chair, declining Finn's call so abruptly she thought she might shatter her screen further. The door opened and nicked shut.

Hesitantly, Rey turned around and peaked again—

And shot out of the chair so fast at the figure that loomed over her, that she slammed into the ledge of the fireplace and almost toppled into it. She would have, if not for the hand that shot out and steadied her. He let go nearly as quickly as he had grabbed her and she flattened herself against the brick wall, clutching her phone to her chest.

"Sorry," she managed, her throat dry. "I thought—I thought I was alone."

"You're not alone."

"Neither are you," she said weakly, realizing a second too late how stupid it sounded.

The guy tilted his head at her like she was something worth picking apart. With eyes that were cold and dark, his striking face was the picture of indifference and boredom. His black hair fell to his shoulders, wavy and messy, and looked freshly washed, still a little wet. There was an intensity to his stare that made look away. He was impossibly tall and somehow both big and lithe, standing close enough that she realized he was trying to intimidate her.

She lifted her chin defiantly. "I didn't see anything," she said, her voice surprisingly steady.

"No?" He leaned closer. She forced herself not to cower beneath his intimidation. His voice lowered, almost sensually as he murmured, "Ah, no."

Her phone rang again, but her eyes never left the stranger's face. They held each other's stare through the entire ringing. He broke contact first, his eyes sliding to her lower left and narrowing slightly. She followed his gaze, surprised to find her hand clutched around a metal poker she didn't remember grabbing.

His eyes flicked back to hers, his full mouth quirked almost in bemusement. As though he were challenging her to try to strike him.

She let go of the poker—and could have sworn disappointment flashed in his eyes. There and gone in a blink, so quickly she likely imagined it.

He blinked and seemed to realize himself, looking momentarily surprised at some internal conflict. Then he stepped back, giving her room to leave.

She took a tentative step, then a hastier one, nearly running. Only once her hand was on the doorknob did she look back and say, "I would have, just so you know."

"No," he drawled in that deep voice of his, "you wouldn't have. You considered it, but you hesitated. Then you lost your nerve"

She stared at him, shocked at the audacity of his words, at the confidence that he read her well enough to predict her thoughts and actions. Darkness clung to his dark jeans and fitted black sweatshirt, exposing his biceps and muscled arms. If she had swung, it would have done her little good.

"A good thing for you, then," she said finally, leaving the mysterious enigma behind.

* * *

 **A/N:** Thank you so much for reading! I'm always a little hesitant about modern AU's but I really wanted to write this. I have to say Kylo Ren might be the most difficult character I've ever had to write. He's TOUGH. But it's fun writing him in a modern setting. Again, there will be more chapters for this short story, so stay tuned. :) Also, thank you to everyone that read and reviewed chapter 1. I'm outside my comfort zone with this fandom so I appreciate your feedback greatly!


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